Predicting Rain - Popular Weather Sayings in the 19th Century

An enormous rainbow was in the sky from the Northeast to the Southeast yesterday evening, and it rained and thundered just to the Northwest - nary a drop fell on this sandy hill...........

"THE chief signal officer at Washington is seeking material for a collection of popular weather sayings, proverbs, and prognostics used throughout the country . . .  The writer does not vouch for the correctness of the prognostics. He gives them as they were given to him, and the reader may judge for himself as to their value. The divisions made by the chief signal officer are twenty-three in number." 

The Chief Signal Officer in D.C. collecting weather sayings?!  Here are a few of the 23 presented in Ballou's Monthly  Magazine, 1890 , and of course the very last one is the truest old saying of all :

**When there is a rainbow in the morning, there will be rain soon. When there is a rainbow at night, it will not rain the next day.

"A rainbow in the morning
Is the sailor's warning;
A rainbow at night
Is the sailor's delight."  

**A halo around the sun indicates that there will be rain or snow soon. If the sun rises clear and soon goes into a cloud, it will rain before night. If the sun shines while it rains, it will rain the next day. A sun dog, or mock sun, indicates that there will be stormy weather very soon.


**When in the morning you see the ground covered with webs covered with dew and dew on the ground around, it is a sign of rain before night, for the spiders are putting out umbrellas. But others say, " When the spiders put out their sunshades, it will be a hot day."


**If bats fly low and come into the house; if cattle lie down in the morning and chew the cud; if horses toss their heads, sniff, and are very uneasy; if rats and mice are restless and squeak; if swine are uneasy, grunt loudly, and squeal; if cats and dogs eat grass and sheep spring about more than usual. So also the proverbs:—

"When the ass begins to bray,
We surely shall have rain that day."
         And—:
"When the donkey blows his horn,
'Tis time to house your hay and corn." 



**"All signs fail in a dry time."





Summer Born British White calves - Holding up Fairly Well in August 2011



"In Texas the Drought now Extends from the Western Grazing Country Eastward to Louisiana"

I could almost imagine in the beginning of the article below that the writer was talking about the current Texas drought, that has indeed extended eastward to Louisiana. For certain, I find some degree of hopefulness in the future after reading about droughts of old that eventually corrected themselves. I know it will happen logically, but it is easy to start thinking it may never end! This old article is also a bit instructive of what conditions could be in Texas next Spring, if indeed we have no more rain.

I also found a very informative article on the Texas drought of 1984. I actually had no idea there had been one, but I wasn't much focused on rainfall in 1984. The drought of 1984 was severe and had devastating and long lasting consequences. Read "Dust to Dust", published in the Texas Monthly, October 1984, for an eye-opening hard truth in both words and photos of just how bad drought can be to a livestock producer.

The following weather observations are excerpts from:
Monthly Weather Review - By United States Army Signal Corps, United States, April 1887

J.West's S.S. Carter, (See Video clip)
Standing over a Water Leak to get Cool, August 2011



DROUGHT: "Although rain accompanied the area of low that crossed Texas, the Indian Territory, and Kansas on the 18th, yet at the end of the month the long drought was practically unbroken, except in Kansas, where the rainfall of the 18th was quite heavy. In Texas the drought now extends from the western grazing country eastward to Louisiana, but decreases in severity as it approaches the eastern boundary. In central and eastern Texas, embracing the principal cotton-growing counties of the state, only a few light showers have fallen during the mouth."

The following notes are from observers:

"At San Antonio, Tex., although light rain fell on the 4th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 13th, 14th, and 16th, the total precipitation of the month was only 0.60 of an inch. Reports from adjoining counties indicate that their condition is even worse than the country immediately adjacent to San Antonio. The observer states that the dry grass from last year is exhausted, and as none has grown this spring the only forage for cattle is the prickly pear. Stock are dying rapidly. Numbers of families have deserted their homes and farms in search of a more favored locality. All hope of making the usual grain crop this season has been abandoned."

"New Ulm, Austin Co., Texas.: all interests are suffering from the drought; cattle are in need of grass and water; corn and cotton are in bad condition and will have to be replanted if rain falls. The normal April rainfall for this section, as deduced from the observations of the past fifteen years, is 3.84 inches; the total of the current month is only 0.17 inch, and is the least that has fallen in any April during that time. The normal rainfall of the seven months ending April 30th is 31.70 inches; the total amount of the corresponding months in 1880-'87 is 7.92, a deficiency of 23.78 inches. In 1873 eight inches of rain fell in April."

"Belleville, Republic Co., Kansas.: the first seventeen days of the month were remarkable for dry weather and the frequency and force of dust storms. On the 3rd and 9th, during wind storms, dust filled the air to such an extent that buildings one hundred feet distant were visible only at intervals.  Independence, Montgomery Co., Kansas.: the first heavy rain in this section since September 4, 1886, fell on the 16th and 17th. On the 3rd, during a wind storm, the sky was obscured by dust."

"Salina, Salina Co., Kansas.: the month has been unusually dry, the total precipitation, 2.06 inches, being the least that has fallen in any April during the past five years."

"Grand Coteau, Saint Landry Parish, La.: the total amount of rainfall for the five months from December, 1880, to April, 1887, inclusive, 12.20 inches, is less than one-half of the normal amount; the soil is dry and crops late."

"Tucson, Arizona.: cattle are dying in large numbers from want of water and food; the Rillito River is dry for the first time in many years."

 

J.West's Bountiful Brigit
 Having a Drink from the Sprinkler,  August 2011

 "It should be noted that the period of observation is not sufficient to enable a perfectly satisfactory deduction, but it is plain that there has been a marked increase in precipitation during the last twenty years. The apparent falling off in the last five years is not unexpected, and does not indicate a permanent diminution, as it is mostly due to the small amount in 1886, and there have been four annual records previously, with a greater falling off than in 1886. We may conclude that the scarcity of rainfall in 1886 is not unprecedented, and that from past observations there is no proof of a permanent diminution in precipitation. Many more years' observations will be needed to establish a marked secular variation."

Well, there certainly have been many more years of observation, about 125 years of observation and recording of weather in the USA.  This 1887 writer was no doubt right -- the scarcity of rainfall was not unprecedented -- and there was no permanent diminution in rainfall.  Of course, a climate change fanatic or global warming guru might point to the increase in numbers of methane belching cattle in the prairies of Texas, Louisiana and the Indian Territory as the primary culprit of the 1886/1887 drought -- and claim it was without precedence, and the humble bovine has been bringing on brutal heat waves in Texas ever since!

Chasing Rabbits . . . Real or Imagined, Watch out for the Swing of the Axe

Well, it is a little hot around here to be thinking too hard about a blog that requires much actual thinking -- to be thinking really about much of anything except a little bit of rain.  We just thought it was dry a week or so back, now these sandy hills are really dry, the worst conditions of the summer so far. 

A little amusement seems a good idea this afternoon, so I thought I'd share this old story I ran across while continuing my genealogy research.  It made me laugh out loud, maybe it will you as well. It's about a colorful fellow from the pioneering days of our American history - Gideon Crews, Jr (1779-1859).  Oh for the days when there were actually plentiful rabbits in these East Texas woods for either man or dog to chase.........

Gid. Jr., in those days, at times liked a timely dram. Our mother used to tell us that he would come to her father's in a condition which made him merry and full of fun. The children would surround him when he was thus tipsy and ask him to tell them a story. Then he would tell them the story of the Irishman's dog, viz:

 

"One day there was an Irishman in the woods hewing with a broad-axe. His dog chased a rabbit. The rabbit came running right by where the man was hewing, and the dog in hot pursuit. The dog passed under the axe just as the man brought it down. It split the dog open from the tip of his nose to the end of his tail. The man was distressed at the accident, but being an Irishman and quick witted, he snatched up both halves of the dog and slapped them together. The operation was so quick and the dog's blood so hot that the two parts stuck together and grew and the dog jumped out of his master's hand and renewed the chase and soon caught the rabbit. But the man in his haste to save the dog had made the mistake to turn two feet up and two feet down, and the dog found that he could run on two feet until they got tired and then whirl over and run on the other two, and so he could catch anything in the woods, and could run forever."

 

Louisiana & Mississippi in the early 1800's & Southern USA Migration Routes

Genealogy research has been occupying my time the past couple of weeks, and I've run across some things in regard to cattle and the land from the 19th century that are interesting.  Also, scroll down to find some good early migration route maps grouped all in one spot for easy reference in your research. 

The photo below is from a pretty neat old magazine article, published in 1892 in Scribner's Magazine, and entitled Cattle Trails of the Prairies, by Charles Moreau Hargar.  He describes with oftentimes vivid detail the experiences of the Texas cowboy on the long cattle drives north.  It is interesting to note that Mr. Hargar, as well as the observations of Mr. Darby in 1817 highlighted below, states clearly that the cattle were ready for market when they reached 4 years of age:

"After the young have been lassoed, held, and had their flesh burned with the red hot branding iron, leaving a scar in the form of a letter, figure, or combination design, that will last for life, they are turned loose, and no human hand is laid on them until they become "beeves", that is four years old and ready for market."

 

Below are some excerpts from a rather tedious old book published in 1817, that one can assume many would be emigrants read with interest, and it perhaps informed their decision as to where they ultimately wanted to travel, and how they wanted to make the journey.   Following these excerpts are several maps that I find of interest in my genealogy research, and think will be handy to have all in one place for reference, maybe you'll find them interesting as well.

The emigrant's guide to the western and southwestern states and territories ...  By William Darby, Copyright 1818

Darby's Comment on the Spanish Cattle of Louisiana and Texas:

"The cattle, horse, and modes of managing, both came into Louisiana from the Spanish provinces in North America. The race of the domestic cow, so greatly multiplied in Opelousas and Attacapas, is high, clean-limbed, and elegant in its appearance. . . .

. . . The cow yields much less milk, and is of inferior quality, in all the southern parts of the United States, than in those more northern. This effect, generally acknowledged, has been ascribed to the greater richness of the pastures of the latter. How far this induction is correct, we are unable to determine, but feel inclined to consider this, like every other operation of the laws of Nature, who makes nothing in vain.

. . . Milk, though appropriated by man to his use, was formed to feed the young of the animal by which it is produced. Where abundant and succulent herbage every where abound, there is less occasion for the milk: consequently, upon the plains of Louisiana and Texas, the pendant udder, and high-boned, lank, and hollow appearance of the northern cow, is never seen. The cow of Louisiana and Texas has a vivacity and alertness that would almost bespeak them specifically different from the dull, phlegmatic animal of the same genus in more northern climates. The flesh of the cattle killed upon the prairie is often excellent. The feeding or salting of their stock is entirely neglected by most of the owners: the benefits arising from greater attention have, however, exhibited themselves wherever an experiment has been made."

". . . Four years old beeves, the ordinary age at which they are sold, will yield from fifteen to twenty dollars per head.  It will appear obvious from this statement, that though the emolument (fat) will accumulate slowly at first, its ultimate result is very considerable."

Darby's Louisiana & Mississippi Weather Observations:

"In the winter 1779-80, Bayou St. John was frozen for a considerable time; a phenomenon that did not again occur until 1814, in the latter end of December.  In ordinary seasons, the ponds and other stagnant waters as low as 30 N. lat. is seldom frozen, though few of any winters occur without frost at New Orleans.  There is much more difference in climate between Natchez (MISS) and New Orleans than could be expected from the relative positions of each.  Snow is frequent at Natchez, and often falls in considerable quantity. The orange tree and sugar cane are often destroyed by frost, even upon the shore of the gulf of Mexico.  At Natchez, the peach is rendered precarious from late frosts in the spring, at the latter place the cotton is often killed late in April."

Darby's Comment on the Pine Forests:

"In the pine forests the earth is every where covered with succulent grass, that affords excellent and abundant range for cattle. There are also found growing spontaneously several species of the papilionaceous flowering vegetables. . . Those pine tracts are also the seats of pure air, pure water, and health. The asperities of the soil are more than compensated by the absence of bilious and chronic diseases. If the inhabitant earns his bread with the sweat of his brow, he can eat and digest it with a vigorous stomach. "

Handy Maps for Genealogical Research:

Map of the states and territories of the United States as it was from 1820 to July 1821.  On July 10 1821, the Treaty of 1819 enters in to effect, settling all disputes with the Spanish colonies; the borders were defined in the west, and both Floridas were ceded to the United States, having been purchased as part of the treaty.  Author:   User:Golbez. Wikipedia

 Colonial Roads in the Southern United States.  NOTE: "Both the Upper Road, and the Fall Line Road ended at Macon, Georgia. In 1806 the federal government signed a treaty with the Creek Indians authorizing a "horse path" (mail route) through Indian land from Macon to New Orleans, Louisiana. The Creek Indians were postmasters along this extension to the west."  See a list of Major Historic Roads and Trails for additional information.

Map of the Old South Carolina State Road including connecting pathways.  The Old South Carolina State Road was opened to European settlers in 1747.  

Georgia Road (a.k.a. Federal Road) map from Athens, Georgia to Knoxville, Tennessee.  Georgia Road was a TOLL road that opened in 1805.  Also includes branches to Nashville, Tennessee and Huntsville, Alabama.  Note:  Present day Huntsville, Alabama area was 'Madison' county, the first established county on the northern border of Mississippi Territory in 1808, completely surrounded by Cherokee Nation lands.  Many later land migrations from SC and GA through the Mississippi Territory and on to Louisiana began along this "Old Federal Road". ( After improvements in 1819 it was renamed the Federal Road.")

More on the Federal Road:

"The major arteries of the East and North had connections that led to the Federal Road. Traders and light travelers from the North came down the Upper Road through the Piedmont into Georgia, then traveled over the postal horse path which had opened in 1806, through Athens, Watkinsville, and High Shoals, to meet the Federal Road at Columbus, Georgia. 

Many others used the somewhat easier Fall Line Road and then met the Federal Road, traveling through Georgia, from Augusta and through Warrenton, Sparta, Milledgeville, and Macon before reaching Columbus.  A portion of the Federal Horse Path to New Orleans ran through the West Florida panhandle, an area for which ownership was disputed by the Spanish and U.S. Governments. The alternate route to New Orleans was to travel past St. Stephens on the road to Natchez, then southwest to New Orleans." Genealogy Tutor .  See Timeline:  The Federal Road.

Source:  Beverly Whitaker 


Other Links:

Parish and county and territory boundaries were subject to lots of changes in the early years of the USA.  This web site provides maps for every year that saw changes in boundaries of counties and parishes, etc... You can visually see the changes from year to year, which is a great assist to genealogy work.  Look for the link to maps on the right side of most State pages:  N2Genealogy.com

Also see the USGenWeb Census Project for maps of census areas from the first U.S. census in 1790.



OLD COFFEE ROAD - Early route to Tallahassee, Florida

Old Coffee Road, Dates from 1823

Wild White Cattle & British White Cattle - Seasonal Grazing Habits

Over the past several years I have read many old articles and books from the 19th century that make reference to the "wild white cattle" of the British Isles.  One persistent observation that I've seen time and again is in regard to their grazing habits.  The description of the old grazing habits of the wild white cattle always gives me pause and I think of the similar behavior of my herd of quite domesticated British White cattle, descendants of the wild white cattle. 

What follows in an excerpt from a 1903 New Zealand newspaper article on the wild white cattle:

"Apropos of these wild white cattle, it is interesting to learn that in browsing on what may be described as their native wilds, they always keep close together, never scattering or straggling, a peculiarity which does not belong to any domesticated cattle. The wild cows are also remarkable for their systematic manner of feeding. At different periods of the year their tactics are different, but by those acquainted with their habits they are always found about the same part of the forest at the same hour of the day. In the height of summer they always bivouac for the night towards the northern extremity of their confines; from this point they start in the morning and browse to the southern extremity, and return at sunset to their old rendezvous, always feeding close together." (1)



J.West's Taylor Maid, with J.West's Lassie at foot on the first day of her life, October 8, 2010

For a fact, my herd of British White Cattle will be found in the northernmost 'confines' of their pasture in the early morning hours of the summer season, as well as bed down for the night in the most comfy spot in that area.  So regularly do they do this, that at one point in early summer we thought surely there must be a 'ghost' cow haunting the shoulder of the highway headed north. 

Several mornings over the course of a week I was called by various people who spotted a white cow on the highway on their way headed north to work.  Sometimes it was described as a cow, sometimes a yearling, and finally a baby calf as well.  Each time I would head out with my heart in my throat, as this is surely the worst fear I have -- a cow getting out and causing a car accident on the highway.  But each time, until the last time, there was no cow to be seen on the highway, no obvious breach in the fence, and the cows were already having breakfast as they strolled up toward the hill in a southerly direction.  I could only imagine it was an illusion of some sort, that a cow was standing right next to the fence and just appeared to be on the wrong side as cars sped by in the early morning hours. 



British White Heifer, J.West's Lassie, June 19th 2010



Finally the morning came when the Mayor's office called quite early with the alert that a baby calf was 'in' the highway.  We got there as fast as we could, and sure enough a young heifer calf was standing in the highway, quite content with exploring her curiosity about a dead skunk in the middle of the northbound lane of the highway.  And, no, I'm not making this up.  The heifer's name is now J.West's Lassie, and she is a little bitty girl even now, much less then, and she had just gone through the old fence to check out the smell of the dead skunk - or at least that's the best I can come up with psycho-analyzing her!

Another motorist had stopped and was calmly directing traffic around himself and the heifer (and the dead skunk) when we got there, and when faced with lots of humans quietly insisting she go back home -- she quite agreeably hopped back through the fence and joined the herd, and of course the herd moseyed on up the hill in a southerly direction as they always do. 

Once my cows discover something new that they find rather exciting -- they will do it again and again.  So that morning I moved the cow/calf herd out of that pasture to one of the interior pastures, and had no more morning phone calls of 'ghost' cow sightings.  We did add more fence stays to that section of fence, and shored up some unstable posts that had enough play in them that one of my precocious British White youngsters would do just that - 'play' with the play in the post, slipping through the barbed wire and escaping to the other side.



Besides the regular grazing movement of my whole herd at different times of day each season, my British White cow herd generally grazes as a group.  Now I would have never thought that was an unusual trait of cattle, but one can only assume it was considered unusual in the 19th and early 20th century based on the various old texts such as the excerpt cited above.  Apparently, this constant togetherness of a herd of cattle was not typical of domesticated cattle.  Is it now?  Maybe you can tell me what's typical of your cow herd.

Does your cow herd have definite grazing patterns each season?  Do they generally stay together, or do they scatter to the four winds over the course of the day?  Could this old observation of the 'wild white cattle' grazing habits as unique just be yet another myth repeated for over a hundred years that has become accepted as historical fact ?

(1)  Wild White Cattle, Otago Witness , Issue 2580, 26 August 1903, Page 64  Otago Witness, 1903